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Democracy's Tribune on the Arab Awakening
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President George Bush said in 2005, that if someone wanted to get a glimpse of how he thinks on foreign policy, he should read Nathan Sharansky's book "The Case for Democracy." Sharansky was an aide to soviet physicist and human rights advocate Andrei Sakharov. Here he is interviewed by David Feith of the Wall Street Journal. His outspoken activism in favor of the right of Soviet Jews to emigrate got him 9 years in the Soviet Gulag. He was released from prison in 1986, with the strong support of President Reagan. He emigrated to Israel and served in ministerial posts and in the Israeli parliament. Sharansky says the recent protests in Egypt prove his fundamental points. That there are limits to how much you can control people through the use of fear, and that all people, regardless of religion and culture, desire and want freedom. This is a very human message, it showed its power when the Berlin Wall fell, and it is true today in the Arab world. He says the fear that this endangers the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty is not well founded. Over the last 30 years the border with Syria has been quiet, because it is really Israeli deterrance that is responsible for this and the quiet border with Egypt. He adds there is no justification for Mubarak remaining, as it only creates hostility in the Arab world against the US and Israel. And he says that Mubarak was no friend of the Jewish people, because even as he made peace with Israel, he continued to let anti-Semitism thrive and used Jews as the enemy to enhance his control. Sharansky says Gaza and Hamas control after the election was an unusual situation because of the corruption of the people around Arafat, so that even Christian villages supported Hamas. And he says the longer a dictatorship is in place the worse the situation becomes in creating more hostility to all those who support the dictatorship, including the US and Israel. For Sharansky, the Obama adminstration's response to the Iranian protests after what is seen as a stolen election in Iran, were one of the greatest betrayals of freedom in modern history. To prevent a one time, one person, one vote, Sharansky says the democratic institutions have to take root and this will take more than 8 months, so guarantees need to be put in place that this is not allowed to happen. Safeguards put in place to ensure that whoever is elected cannot survive if democratic institutions and reforms and democracy building does not occur. Dissidents like Mr Ibrahim and others should enjoy the ability to build trade unions and women's organizations. Sharansky says this is a real chance, a chance for the US and the free world to become a partner in change. In change that will help Egypt pass the town square test. Can people freely protest and express their grievances in the town square. And move from this fundamental change to establishing democratic processes and institutions.
Respected Voices on the Arab Awakening
02/05/2011
Grouped Articles
Democracy's Tribune on the Arab Awakening
Wall Street Journal 02/05/2011
Tunisia Islamists Test Ideas Decades in the Making
New York Times 02/17/2012
Leadership of the 2011 Egyptian protest movement
02/28/2010
El-Baradei as a leader of the unified opposition in Egypt, which includes the Muslim Brotherhood.
Grouped Articles
Prominent Egyptian Liberal Says He Sought Westâs Support for Uprising
New York Times 07/04/2013
New York Times 07/04/2013
Signs of Disarray Emerge in Egyptian Generalsâ Plan for Governance
New York Times 07/06/2013
In Egypt, U.S. Is Left With a Familiar False Choice
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2013
Using Diplomatic Touch, an Outsider Challenges the Grip of Egypt’s Ruling Party
New York Times 02/28/2010
For Muslim Brotherhood, a Painful Day of Reckoning
Wall Street Journal 08/17/2013
American experts, journalists and newspaper columnists on the Egypt of Mubarak and the democracy movement
04/13/2009
Grouped Articles
New York Times 08/14/2013
Cameraman for British Network Is Killed in Cairo
New York Times 08/14/2013
Egypt erupts as security forces attack Morsi supporters - The Washington Post
Washington Post 08/15/2013
Papers Try to Get Out of a Box
New York Times 04/13/2009
Compact Between Hosni Mubarak and Egyptians Erodes
New York Times 01/28/2011
Wall Street Journal 01/28/2011
Assurances to the West from Egypt's religious establishment about Egypt's path to democracy
02/01/2011
The grand mufti of Egypt, Ali Gomaa, assures the West and Egyptians about respect for democratic processes by the religious establishment. He says after throwing out one form of authoritarianism, he is not looking to replace it with another kind based on religion. As grand mufti, Gomaa acts as the head of Egypt's agency for religious jurisprudence.
Grouped Articles
In Egyptâs Democracy, Room for Islam
New York Times 04/01/2011
New York Times 04/12/2011
Muslim Brotherhood Raises Its Sights in Egypt
Wall Street Journal 05/02/2011
The Weak Foundations of Arab Democracy
New York Times 05/28/2011
George W. Bush: The Arab Spring and American Ideals
Wall Street Journal 05/17/2012
Washington Post 05/25/2012
Friedman on Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq and the Arab World's Transition to Democracy
02/10/2006
Friedman says the protests are about Egypt above all else, and its about Egypt and Egyptians desire for a freedom, democracy, better education, better economic opportunities and better lives. He describes the need in other parts of the Arab world to transcend sectarian, tribal and other loyalties, to establish moderation and build the institutions for citizenship and democratic government.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 09/10/2013
Pulling the Curtain Back on Syria
New York Times 09/07/2013
New York Times 09/07/2013
New York Times 02/08/2011
New York Times 02/10/2011
New York Times 03/01/2011
The Framework for Egypt's Transition to Democracy.
02/28/2010
The drafting of a new constitution to be put to a referendum. Free and fair parliamentary elections within one year. An interim government and three member presidential council with one member from the military, suggests Mohamed ElBaradei.
Grouped Articles
Morsi Faces Ultimatum as Allies Speak of Military âCoupâ
New York Times 07/01/2013
Fouad Ajami: Egypt on the Brink—With No Clear Way Back
Wall Street Journal 07/02/2013
Prominent Egyptian Liberal Says He Sought Westâs Support for Uprising
New York Times 07/04/2013
New York Times 07/04/2013
Signs of Disarray Emerge in Egyptian Generalsâ Plan for Governance
New York Times 07/06/2013
Washington Post 07/21/2013
Israel, Saudi Arabia and the democratic transition in Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Syria and the Arab world- 2011-2012
05/14/2008
Grouped Articles
Syria Condemns Israel for Air Assault Near Damascus
New York Times 05/05/2013
Israel Escalating Efforts to Shape Alliesâ Strategy
New York Times 08/18/2013
A Veteran Saudi Power Player Works To Build Support to Topple Assad
Wall Street Journal 08/25/2013
U.S., Allies Prepare to Act as Syria Intelligence Mounts
Wall Street Journal 08/27/2013
Saudi Arabia gets forceful on foreign policy - The Washington Post
Washington Post 10/25/2013
As the Middle East Burns, the Saudis Ease Up at Home
Wall Street Journal 06/25/2014
ElBaradei and the protests in Egypt in 2011 and 2013
02/28/2010
Grouped Articles
Egypt's Adly Mansour: Top Judge for Two Days, Now Interim President
Wall Street Journal 07/03/2013
Prominent Egyptian Liberal Says He Sought Westâs Support for Uprising
New York Times 07/04/2013
New York Times 07/04/2013
Signs of Disarray Emerge in Egyptian Generalsâ Plan for Governance
New York Times 07/06/2013
Where Is the Muslim Brotherhood?
Wall Street Journal 11/26/2011
Using Diplomatic Touch, an Outsider Challenges the Grip of Egypt’s Ruling Party
New York Times 02/28/2010
An alternative view on Iran's democracy protests suggesting a rural-urban divide similiar to Egypt
01/06/2010
The question for this alternative view remains why there were questions about rigging the vote in Iran compared to the vote for Morsi in Egypt which showed a clear urban-rural divide.
Grouped Articles
Prospect of Iranâs Election Stirs Little Hope This Time Around
New York Times 05/08/2013
Ex-Iran President Seeks Comeback Against Odds
New York Times 05/17/2013
Onetime Morsi Supporters Allege Egypt Leader Shifted
Wall Street Journal 07/03/2013
Fouad Ajami: Egypt on the Brink—With No Clear Way Back
Wall Street Journal 07/02/2013
Egypt's Adly Mansour: Top Judge for Two Days, Now Interim President
Wall Street Journal 07/03/2013
Jurist Sworn In to Lead Egypt Transition
New York Times 07/04/2013
Criticism of the Obama administration's hesitant response to the protests in Egypt
01/28/2011
Vice President Biden says "I would not call Mubarak a dictator." President Obama fails to take a clear position in support of democracy, freedom of expression and economic opportunity in Egypt.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 08/14/2013
New York Times 08/25/2013
Rice Offers a More Modest Strategy for Mideast
New York Times 10/26/2013
Leaving U.S. Allies Adrift as Chaos Rises
Wall Street Journal 08/01/2014
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Mubarak
New York Times 01/28/2011
The U.S. needs to break with Mubarak now
Washington Post 01/29/2011
The Democratic Options in Tunisia and Egypt
01/27/2011
Roger Cohen of the New York Times calls the street protestors in Tunisia and Egypt "revolutionary Geeks." They are young, pragmatic, looking mainly to be free of the shackles of despotic regimes and the lack of economic opportunity. The one party rule of the Tunisian ruler, of Mubarak and Quadaffi add up to one hundred years of despotism says Cohen. The failure of President Obama and Hillary Clinton to take a clear stand in support of change and in favor of democracy in the Arab world.
Grouped Articles
Tunisian Islamist Finds Hope in Challenging Time
New York Times 08/03/2013
Second Opposition Leader Assassinated in Tunisia
New York Times 07/25/2013
Tunisian Constitution, Praised for Balance, Nears Passage
New York Times 01/14/2014
Assassination in Tunisia Draws Spouse Into Politics
New York Times 10/25/2014
New York Times 01/27/2011
Egyptian troops let protests proceed as Mubarak names vice president
Washington Post 01/29/2011
Sharansky and Friedman on the protests for freedom and democracy in Egypt in 2011
02/05/2011
Grouped Articles
Speakersâ Corner on the Nile
New York Times 02/07/2011
Democracy's Tribune on the Arab Awakening
Wall Street Journal 02/05/2011
New York Times 02/08/2011
They Shoot Horses, Donât They?
New York Times 05/21/2011
Nathan Sharansky says there are limits to how much you can control people through the use of fear and all people everywhere want freedom
02/05/2011
Nathan Sharansky makes the case for democracy. Rice talks about the long arc of history and trusting America's best idea and the principles of 1776, as a guide that will serve us well. Sharansky is a former human rights activist from the former Soviet Union, who worked with Soviet physicist Andrei Sakharov for human rights and democracy before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Linked Articles
Condoleezza Rice - The future of a democratic Egypt
Washington Post 02/16/2011
Democracy's Tribune on the Arab Awakening
Wall Street Journal 02/05/2011
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